Friday, January 18, 2013

roofer watch ginger

Today's blackbird.

On my way to an appointment it occurs to me that I have a curious reluctance to consult my watch. Curious because I feel lost without it, and need it to keep perfect time. This reluctance seems to occur often when I have to be somewhere at a certain time; going for a train for example. But why? It could be something to do with trying to feel relaxed and avoiding the pressure of the minute hand's relentless progress. Or it could be affectation: wanting to appear nonchalant to seem in fact the opposite to the white rabbit in Alice and Wonderland. There is something about the white rabbit constantly referring to his watch and muttering the words "Oh dear, oh dear, I shall be late", which always seems to me self-important and undignified and the opposite of the manner in which I want to conduct myself.

At the checkout I hear the cashier chatting to the customer ahead of me, "...my first husband did that..." she says. Ah a talker! And sure enough as she checks out a ginger root on the conveyor she says to me: "That's a big piece of ginger! Going to cook something nice?"
"It's good grated over fruit," I say.
"Have you tried pickled ginger?"
"The Japanese stuff?" "Yes. lovely. Lovely sweet, stringent and sour".
"My mum used to like preserved ginger. Stem ginger. That's sweet, too." she says.
"What are these?"
"Kohl rabi"
How do you cook them...?
I knew there was conversation on the way.

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About Me

Compasses

Following their Handbook for Explorers collaboration on the Compasses site (link below), Lucy Kempton and I are working together on a new venture, Questions. This is a series of poems submitted by each of us alternately, and prompted in the case of each poem by the previous poem and a new question. It is a process of adventure and discovery. Join us for the ride.http://www.compasses-lucyandjoe.blogspot.com/